NBCSportsChicago.com preps reporter "Edgy" Tim O’Halloran spotlights 100 high school football teams in 100 days. The first 75 team profiles will focus on teams making strides across Chicagoland and elsewhere in the state. Starting Aug. 5, we’ll unveil the @NBCSPrepsTop 25 Power Rankings, leading up to kickoff on Friday, Aug. 30.
School: West Chicago
Head coach: Jack Rustman
Assistant coaches: Pete Conrad, Blake Zumpano, Mike Stratejcruk, Conor Zaputil, Vince Walker, Steve Brown, Tino Alfaro, Mike Mittman and David Niziolek
How they fared in 2018: 1-8 (1-8 Upstate 8 Conference). West Chicago failed to made the 2018 IHSA state playoff field.
2019 regular season schedule:
Aug 30 vs South Elgin
Sept 6 @ Fenton
Sept 13 vs Glenbard East
Sept 20 @ Larkin
Sept. 27 @ Elgin
Oct. 4 vs Bartlett
Oct. 11 @ East Aurora
Oct. 18 vs Streamwood
Oct. 25 @ Glenbard South
Biggest storyline: Can the Wildcats make bigger strides in their overall success in 2019?
Names to watch this season: QB Luke Krogh (Sr.), OL/DL Eulises Serrinteno (Sr.) and WR Santiago Barbosa (Sr.).
Biggest holes to fill: The Wildcats will need to replace their entire defensive line from a season ago.
EDGY's Early Take: It's been tough sledding for West Chicago having not made the state playoffs since 2002; however, second-year head coach Jack Rustman and his staff have brought a new energy and excitement to the building. They have eleven returning starters from a season ago and the overall numbers have been improved. West Chicago has, at minimum, a handful of winnable games here in 2019.